Shelter Is Putting Cats To Work To Make Them More Desirable

Cranky cats at an animal shelter are getting a lesson in desirability after being put to work.

Philadelphia’s Animal Care and Control Team (ACCT) created the Working Cats program, where unadoptable felines are given jobs as pest control at various establishments, including barns, stables, and breweries.

The program began four years ago, placing cats with behavioral issues at factories and warehouses to chase its unwanted mice. The cats are microchipped, vaccinated, and presented as free labor.

“Part of the reason cats became domesticated was to get rid of the rodent population,” Ame Dorminy, a spokeswoman for ACCT told the Associated Press. “We took advantage of their natural propensity to hunt and made an official program out of it.”

A win-win situation, the fuzzy felines are given room and board, and businesses become rodent-free.

Cats who are suitable for the Tom & Jerry dream are kept in a separate section titled Time to Adjust or TTA for short. The cats' qualifications are listed on each cage, which include hissing, swatting, spitting, and refusal to be picked up.